White Feminism: Progressive or Oppressive?

This idea of "white feminism" is often fed to us via the media, news outlets, online articles, etc. which are predominately white voices. It is especially popular among certain types of celebrities that often use the idea of feminism to further their own careers. Specifically, they appear as if they are progressive (and maybe they believe that they are) but in the process they are only appealing to the issues that white women face and therefore, they are often minimizing those faced by others. What I had to unpack for myself is the idea that even though I am oppressed in many ways as a woman - "a white skin in the United States opens many doors...whether or not we approve of the way dominance has been conferred on us"(McIntosh, 1989).

It took me some time to understand how my white privilege benefits me every day. As Peggy McIntosh discusses in her article "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" white privilege comes in many forms whether it is choosing to remain oblivious to other cultural backgrounds or being able to criticize our government openly without fear. Many popular white feminists often do that very thing - and they use their voice to draw attention to some types of oppression while specifically disregarding others. Are white feminists simply unaware of their privilege? Or are they using their privilege to continue to perpetuate white supremacy - therefore putting their values of class and race over those related to their gender. For example, we are living in a time where "white feminism" is at its peak with 53 percent of white women voting for Trump in the 2016 election. Trump has shown us time and time again that he stands to uphold white supremacy and further oppress the rights of minorities and other marginalized groups.

So, are white feminists practicing oppression in the name of progress? Iris Young (1979) in her article "Five Faces of Oppression" states that oppression is traditionally defined as the exercise of tyranny by a ruling group. In more recent times, oppression can be thought of as designating the disadvantage and injustice of some individuals by everyday practices of a "well-intentioned liberal society" (Young, 1979). In this case, white feminists are not acting as a tyrannical group but instead are oppressing women of color and LGBTQ womxn through unconscious assumptions and reactions that contribute to structural oppression instead of fighting to end it.

In the words or Peggy McIntosh - "Having described it, what will I do to lessen or end it?" First, I have to recognize my role in all of this, as a white woman, who is very privileged. I have the ability to turn off social media and escape from things I do not wish to see. This is a privilege that most white women have that women of color or members of the LGBTQ community do not. I can choose to ignore the injustices that are facing other communities simply because they do not seem to affect me. In reality, there isn't feminism without intersectionality and if we prioritize certain woman we are not progressing - we are continuing to go backwards fighting against one another for the top spot in a world still dominated by the patriarchy.